Murder! at Downton Abbey
by rosywriter
Summary: In December of 1913 a mysterious and unexplained disappearance took place at Downton Abbey. Now 100 years later, a group of talented and diverse people are all invited to a dinner. While there, an unexplained disappearance of one guest and death of another shock the group. But due to the dangerous storm outside, they are forced to investigate the mystery and murder at Downton Abbey
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello Again! First off, I cannot tell you how excited I am to be posting my first actual story (not a collection of one-shots). And I am even more excited that this is going to be a good old classic Murder-Mystery! With shocking twists and turns and the widely loved 'who-done-it' ending, I hope to have you all guessing to the very end. **

**Anyways, he is the Prologue to Murder at Downton Abbey. I tried to incorporate as many characters as possible but unfortunately, we will see more of some than others. And of course, we will lose some along the way. Questions will be raised along the way and each character will be faced with their own mysteries but all will be answered in the end. But don't hold back from telling me what you think, who you think is guilty, and why you would like to see. **

**And now, with nothing left for me to say, I present to you all Murder! at Downton Abbey.**

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**Decemer 28****th****, 1913**

"Another flawless party." The Lord of Granthom assured the butler. "Truly flawless."

"Thank you, M'Lord" the older man replied.

"I look forward to our next. When you are in charge Carson, everything runs smoothly." The lord of the house then yawned as the clock chimed once, telling them how late it was. "Well, I am off. My wife is surely expecting me." He chuckled, still a little drunk from the evening.

"Goodnight, M'Lord" the butler replied.

A while later, the butler had finished his rounds of the house, making sure everything was in order. The lord of the house had strict rules for how the Abbey was to be maintained and the responsibility to make sure those rules were upheld fell upon the butler. He was now crawling into his bed and turning out the candle when he heard a nearby clock chime three times. Just as his body relaxed and he was preparing for sleep a loud bang shocked him awake. He quickly relight the candle, pulled on his robe and shoes and bolted out of his room. In the hallway he saw the other servants, poking their heads out of their rooms, all shocked at what they had heard. The butler quickly and firmly walked down the hallway, pausing for nothing. Just as he passed the head housekeeper's room she opened her door prepared to inspect what had caused the noise. They climbed the servant's staircase together and reached the main floor to find it all in order. They swiftly but efficiently checked each room on their way to the main entrance.

Open coming to the main entrance the butler expected to find the family all waiting in shock and expecting an explanation for the commotion. Instead, the room was empty and the large front doors to the house stood wide open, swinging in the wind of the storm outside.

Both the butler and the housekeeper stood there shocked but only shortly before returning back downstairs to recruit the rest of the staff to inspect the massive house. The chauffer drove to the local town, looking for help as every inch of the house was inspected.

**November 15****th****, 2013**

Thunder and lightning crackled outside on the dark and stormy night. Rain poured down in sheets, threatening to soak to the bone anyone who dared walk outside. This sort of night was ideal for families to lighten the mood with laughter and games or for couples to enjoy each other's sweet presence by the fire.

However, on this particular night, no such bliss was being had at Downton Abbey. The ominous mansion stood threatening any who dare walk near the estate. The Abbey was located directly in the center of its large and extensive estate mostly filled by a dense forest. Many in the town that lived close by had never dared go farther than where the tree line ended, mostly terrified by the story of the extensive mansion.

Downton Abbey was owned by a large and well respected family when it was at its peak in the early 1900's. Parties were held weekly. Guests were dined nightly. The family was at the height of English society. Until one dark night in late December of 1913, the family mysteriously vanished. The downstairs staff awoke that night to a large bang and the family nowhere in sight. The police questioned each employee endlessly and word of the unsolved mystery spread across the nation. The investigation lasted for months, officers tirelessly working in hopes of finding the long lost family but nothing was ever found. At first, a ransom note was expected, after a while people expected to find their bodies. People suddenly paid extra attention to the ones they passed on the street, secretly hoping to see a face that belonged to the family. All attempts were eventually realized to be in vain.

Despite their unexplained disappearance, the staff seemed unaffected. They worked day and night as if expecting the family to return at any moment. The grounds and house remained in pristine conditions, exactly as before. When the original staff grew older and had children of their own, the next generation then took up their parents work to maintain the grounds. Down to the current day, it is still kept by the grandchildren of the original staff.

Now, only a few weeks before the 100th anniversary of the family's disappearance the current butler and head housekeeper sat in a room of the house drinking tea.

"You are sure we chose the right people to come?" the housekeeper asked.

"I am positive." He responded to her.

She looked down at her shaking hands, for the first time in her life fearful of this large house and what was soon to take place in it.


	2. Chapter 1 - The Arrival

**December 27th, 2013**

**Matthew and Mary Crawley**

"Are you sure we are on the right road?" Mary questioned. They had been driving on this road for a solid half an hour seeing nothing but trees and gravel.

"The man at the shop told me this was the road to take." Matthew responded.

"The man at the shop looked half scared out of his wits when you asked him for directions." She retorted.

Just as she was about to pull out her map again the dense wall of trees broke and a huge clearing with a wide drive way opened up. The driveway took them right to the front of this large and mysterious house Mary and Matthew had been invited too. As they pulled up, they noticed not a single other car was in sight.

"Mary, can you check-" Matthew began.

"Already checking." She replied. She grabbed her purse and pulled out the invitation they had received in the mail a little over out of it. She quickly scanned it again making sure they had all of their facts straight as to what was to take place over this weekend.

_"Mr. and Mrs. Crawley,_

_You are formally invited to stay at Downton Abbey from December 27th through the 29th._

_All necessities will be provided._

_Please bring formal attire fitting of 1910, there is to be an elegant dinner on the evening of the 28th."_

The invitation was rather vague and something about how it was written truly bothered the couple. It was hand written in beautiful calligraphy onto thick, deep red paper with an intricate gold border. One glance at it told them that the paper itself could have easily come from 1910 and was only written on just recently.

They were completely shocked when they first received the envelope in the mail. Mary went out to get the mail while Matthew sat and reviewed his current case. She came back inside looking confused and instead of answering Matthew's questions about what was the matter she simply handed him the envelope.

The envelope itself was a matching red to the invitation and it was sealed with a matching golden wax seal. He inspected the envelope and then slowly and carefully opened it. He removed the invitation and they read it together. They sat in silence until Mary broke it asking whether or not this was real. Neither really knew how to answer it though. Instead Matthew typed the words 'Downton Abbey' into his computer and opened and read the first linked that popped up explaining the house's history. After an hour of research and reading everything they could about the house and the family that lived there Mary connected that the day they were to have the formal dinner there was going to be the hundredth anniversary of the family's disappearance.

"Why in the world were we invited to this? We are nothing special and we certainly don't have any relation to this family or this house." Mary finally asked.

Matthew was a third generation lawyer and Mary was a teacher at the local school but her family had been owners of a small general store. They both met in college and after four years of dating had gotten married. Now they were approaching three years of marriage and had no big plans for their life.

"I honestly don't know." Matthew finally replied, finding no other acceptable answer to his wife's question.

That night they stayed up trying to decide whether or not they should attend. There was no RSVP or further way to contact the house. They didn't even know who it was they would be contacting. After hours of talking they sat mulling the situation over.

"I don't… see the harm… in going to this." Matthew finally said.

Mary looked at him and slowly but surely nodded her head.

"This really is very odd." She added.

"Yes, but, maybe it will be a bit of adventure. A story to tell our kids one day."

And with that, they made arrangements for the trip. They spent the next month booking flights and arranging to get the time off. Mostly though, they spent it tracking down the perfect outfit for each of them to wear on the evening of the formal dinner.

Now that they were here in front of the house though, Mary suddenly felt very foolish. She had felt a girlish excitement this past month at the thought of an unexplained weekend at a mysterious house but now she questioned her decision to come.

"Maybe we should just turn around." She finally said a little uneasy.

"Why?" Matthew asked shocked.

"This all seems really odd and for some reason I just don't like the feel of this place." She said, a chill running down her spine.

Just as Matthew was about to put the car in reverse, a quick knock came from his window causing the couple to jump in their seats. They looked up to find an older man in a green chauffer's uniform. Matthew rolled down his window to speak to him.

"My apologies Sir, I did not hear you and your wife pull up." He said.

"No problem" Matthew replied.

"If you would like to leave me the keys, I can drive it around back and bring in your luggage while you and your wife follow the footman to meet with the other guests."

Matthew was taken back at his options. He looked to Mary in the passenger seat to see what she had to say but she was still trying to even her breathing. She gave him a cautious glare but he nodded his head and put the car into park.

"Alright, thank you very much" he said. The chauffer opened Matthew's door and he got out, not daring to look at the glare he knew his wife was giving him. The footman on the other side opened the door for Mary and waited for her to get out. Matthew walked over to her side and stood next to her and watched as the chauffer drove the car on the gravel driveway around the side of the house and out of their sight.

"If I see that a single thing is missing from that car, I am blaming you." Mary said firmly still staring at where the car had driven moments ago.

"If you would care to follow me, I will show you to where the other guests are." The footman finally said.

Matthew looked at him, then at Mary who was looking at him in return. "Alright." He said. He took his wife's hand and lightly pulled her along after the footman who now guided them into the large house.


End file.
